10 Reasons to Visit Mont-Tremblant this Winter

by Amandalina Letterio

Whether you drive or fly, Mont-Tremblant is one of the best winter getaways in Quebec! This fun-filled region is perfect for anyone who loves to stay active in the winter, for the whole family, and it’s even enjoyable for the person who likes to hibernate all season long. Here are 10 reasons why you need to visit this winter wonderland:

Les Refuges Perchés: If you love adventure, the best place to stay when you visit Mont-Tremblant is at Les Refuges Perchés. This resort located in the Laurentian Mountains, about a 30 minute drive from Mont-Tremblant. It has 10 adult-sized tree houses dispersed throughout a breath-taking forest right on the mountain. The treehouses were built in this area in 2014, so they are fairly new and have been kept in fantastic condition. These unique dwellings are built with an abundance of windows for visitors to enjoy the gorgeous landscape around them. Each house has a sunny terrace, comfortable beds and a propane stovetop for cooking. This place is for the adventurous: Pack light because you are pulling all of your belongings on a sled through a hilly forest, warming the tree house with a firewood oven, and prepare to be immersed in a beautiful forest covered in snow!

Snowshoeing at les Refuges Perchés: Les Refuges Perchés has over 36 kilometres of hiking trails on endless land. When you purchase the all-inclusive package, it comes with a complimentary snowshoe rental for each person in your tree house. When you have over 30 centimetres of fluffy white snow on the ground, snowshoeing will allow you to explore this winding forest. If you have never been in the middle of a forest that is covered in snow, let me tell you, the view is breath-taking! The forest looks soft and pure, with not a colour to be seen except one shade of crisp white.

Ice Climbing: One of the coolest things you can do in Mont-Tremblant is climbing a frozen cliff right on the mountain with a guide. No experience is necessary and it is completely safe. This unique excursion makes you feel like you’re climbing up a waterfall frozen in time! This is a vigorous activity that is best suited for someone who loves to be active and doesn’t mind a challenge.

Dinner in the Village: The village at the base of Mont-Tremblant is like a little replica of Europe, just a six hour drive away from Toronto. The architecture was inspired by a mix between the town square of Megéve in the French Alps and the Old Quebec City area. The narrow cobblestone streets give a warm European ski feel. The architecture may be ornate, but the businesses range between modern companies and old fashioned shops. This is the perfect place to grab dinner and walk around. Make sure you save room to get a beavertail for dessert!

Maple Syrup Pops: You cannot leave the village without a stop at Cabane A Sucre de la Montagne, a sugary treats shop. A maple-syrup pop is possibly one of the most Canadian things you will ever experience; they heat up maple syrup and pour it out on top of hard snow in a straight line. After 45 seconds, you roll up the syrup on a popsicle stick and voila: a maple syrup lollipop! It is such a fun treat! If you ever go to Mont-Tremblant, you absolutely have to try this.

Fat Biking Around Mont-Tremblant: Fat Bikes can be described as mountain bikes designed for the snow. The tires are 6 inches wide, hence the name, which makes it easier to ride through the slippery trails. Even if it’s very cold outside, my recommendation is to wear a few layers when doing this activity because you’ll warm up after a few pedals into the trail. I made the mistake of wearing endless layers in addition to my down filled jacket. If I was carrying less weight I would have been able to ride the bike with more ease. The trail I recommend is called Piste Multifonctionnelle; it is a 15 kilometre trail that runs alongside the Rivière La Diable (translation: Devil’s River), which has mini icebergs floating on it. Riding next to the flowing water was serene compared to bustling city life of Toronto. Whether you are an avid bike rider or just want to try something new, I highly recommend fat biking, but it is quite strenuous, so people who enjoy being active and getting in a good work-out might be more inclined to check it out.

Casino Mont-Tremblant: Whether you’re catching a show, hitting the tables, or just want to have a delicious dinner, Casino Mont-Tremblant is a must-visit when you’re in town. With a wide array of games, not just slots, Casino Mont-Tremblant is the perfect way to warm up on a cold winter night. They also have entertainment and host comedic shows, they have an in-house lounge, and a delicious on-site restaurant called Altitude.

Dune Buggies: The best way to get your tour around the Tremblant area is in a dune buggy. Have a blast in this activity suited for the whole family! It’s even more exciting during the winter in the snow, as you can wind mountain trails on this guided excursion. The dune buggy does slide around and it is a pretty bumpy ride, but it’s also safe. If you get nauseous easily, this probably isn’t the activity for you. If you love the snow and love to off-road, dress warm and book your tour!

Dog Sledding: Perhaps it’s due to the fact that I am a huge dog lover, but dog sledding was by far one of my favourite experiences in Mont-Tremblant. The Mountain Adventure Dog Sledding operated by Adventures Banquise is best described as a little campground for over 80 beautiful Siberian Huskies. The huskies are owned by a Quebec couple named Kathy and Bertrand who operate the dog sledding adventure with their daughter Emily (8 years old), son Dylan (6 years old) and some friendly employees. You ride the sled in pairs, with one person in your party steering the sled, and the other bundled up enjoying the scenery. Honestly, both are good positions to be in, the person steering stays warmer than the person sitting because he/she is moving around. There is light training for the dog sleds before heading out on a trail that brings you through a forest, over a bridge, on top of a river with a small waterfall. You can hear the water trickling as you slide through the forest. It was so striking that you’ll forget how cold your toes are by the time you get back. Kathy and her children wait on site to invite the dog sledding participants into a tent heated by a wood burning oven for hot chocolate and cookies.

New Year’s Eve: One of my best New Year’s was spent at the bottom of the Mont-Tremblant slopes. Every year, Tremblant hosts an open-air fluorescent party that gathers a huge crowd. Dress warm, go in and out of the bars, and dance at the base of the mountain where a huge party with a DJ is happening. When the year reaches an end, Tremblant starts the new one in style with a fireworks display!

Amandalina Letterio is a multimedia journalist with experience in television, print, online, and radio. She loves connecting with her readers and giving them advice based on her experiences. With a passion for travel, she hopes to inform you about visiting new places so that you feel as though you have visited it already, just by reading her words. Check out more photos of her wanderlust and connect with her on Instagram: @AmandalinaLetterio.

Advertisement

Social

Our Partners

Sign up now for fresh travel inspirations, deals, contests and more every week from TravelAlerts.ca

THANK YOU FOR SUBSCRIBING!

Sign me up to receive handpicked travel deals, special offers, promotions, notices, communications and other information that may be of interest to me from TravelAlerts.ca. We will use your postal code and name to better tailor the offers, promotions, communications, and other information that we send to you. You can unsubscribe at any time. See TravelAlerts.ca’s privacy policy for details. Travelalerts.ca, a division of Metroland Media Group Ltd. 1 Yonge St, 4th floor, Toronto, ON M5E 1E6 www.travelalerts.ca, feedback@travelalerts.ca.